


When You Take the Stage (I Can't Stop Staring)

by kaijoskopycat



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Aho's inability to understand feelings, AoKise Day, Basketball, Cocky Kise, Fluff, High School, I'm literally just tagging anything really, Kise being too popular for his own good, Pining, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Touou High (Freeform), Touou Kise Ryouta, v things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-29 13:30:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3898084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaijoskopycat/pseuds/kaijoskopycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kise tranfers to Touou High and all the attention that been on Aomine shifts. Kise Ryouta is a bit too bright for his liking, or so he thinks, but he can't deny the fact that Kise can steal the spotlight and draw everyone's eyes toward him. Even Aomine's, much to his chagrin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When You Take the Stage (I Can't Stop Staring)

Aomine Daiki isn't the king of Touou, but he gets the feeling that some people think he is. He's ace of the basketball team, scoring more points than most of the other players combined. He's attractive, if a little rough around the edges, and has a lackadaisical attitude that should be a turn off, but really only serves to attract more attention. He's had more propositions from girls his age than he can count and has turned them all down. Sure, he's interested in women. He's interested in their pretty, round faces and their curves. He'll never pass up a chance to ogle a nice rack, but he'll pass up the chance to go see a play with them because who the hell goes to see Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat on a first date? He doesn't care about a lot of things, and theater is definitely on his list of I-don't-give-a-shit. 

Satsuki reprimands him every time he breaks another girl's heart, but he doesn't take her griping seriously. They're in high school. You don't fall in love in high school. That sappy teenage romance shit is for the books that Aomine doesn't read. He's not gonna go to a romantic comedy with one of her friends if he can retreat to a basketball court to shoot some hoops on his own. He's not gonna go to class and listen to the teacher prattle on about the proper way to dissect a frog––even if he can make Satsuki scream by chasing her around the classroom with it––when he can hide on the roof and take a nap instead. He thinks he has his priorities straight and the majority is in awe of his rebellious nature. 

He doesn't necessarily like the attention. He often complains about it to Satsuki who responds with a roll of her eyes or a slap to his arm and tells him he could have it worse. If the occasional confession is the only thing he has to worry about from time to time, he doesn't have it all that bad. He can still play basketball to his hearts content. He can still laze about his house (when Satsuki doesn't drag him to the mall to complain about her terrible shopping addiction), and he can still steal away from the world to sleep his boredom away. The attention can be ignored if it has to be.

That is until it's there no more.

His unspoken popularity disappears when Kise Ryouta transfers to Touou.

~~~

Kise Ryouta is prettier than most women. His skin is flawless––not that Aomine thinks about those things––and his eyes are the color of molten gold. His hair looks like it's made of fine strands of silk, a color so rich it makes the treasures in his favorite pirates movies pale in comparison. He wears the school uniform like it was made for him, the tie looser than everyone else's so he can keep the top two buttons of his shirt undone, exposing the sharp, pale skin of his collarbones. Aomine wears his school uniform like that, and while he's not one to care about a sense of fashion, he is kind of peeved that the style didn't catch on until after Kise showed up. 

All the girls flock to Kise's side the minute he walks into the hallway, or out onto the quad, or into the lunchroom, or into the gym, or anywhere really. The bastard attracts attention like moths to a flame and Aomine is loathe to admit that even his eyes turn when Kise walks into the room. It's like he's the sun and the light he brings to a room can't be ignored. Especially when it's coupled with his infectious laughter and his thousand watt smile. 

Aomine cringes whenever Kise laughs because a chorus of giggles is always sure to follow. He glares at Kise from across the lunch room, staring at his lips as he speaks. He notices the slight variations of movement with every answer, the way his lips almost curve into a frown before he catches himself, the way his tongue runs over his upper row of teeth whenever he's trying to suppress a smug little smirk. Aomine spends all his time observing that he's pretty sure he knows Kise better than everyone else and he's damn sure Kise isn't the angel they think he is. 

Of course, Aomine isn't watching Kise because he's interested. No, he's not interested in that stupid smile or that shiny hair or that obnoxiously contagious laugh. He doesn't go for Ken dolls. He doesn't swing for flat chests. Aomine watches Kise because Kise is the crack in his phone screen. The longer it's there, the worse it gets, until he knows he'll have to take the next step and buy a new phone. He's not ready to make that commitment yet. He isn't ready to admit he might need to. But he can watch from afar and he can plan.

After all, Kise is too distracted by everyone else to notice him. 

~~~~

"Do they have to laugh at _everything_ he says?"

Aomine shoves rice into his scowling mouth as he glares at Kise from across the lunchroom. Girls surround him again, laughing at something he said that is probably not as funny as they're making it out to be. It irritates him even more when Kise laughs as well. 

"He's a nice guy, Dai-chan," Satsuki puffs out her cheeks. "You know, for someone who claims they can't stand him, you sure do mention him a lot."

Startled, he clenches his chopsticks between his fingers and they snap in half. Has he really been mentioning him that often? He hasn't told Satsuki about his habit of watching Kise day in and day out. It's still weird to him, so how could it not be weird to her?

"I don't mention him _that_ often," he grumbles, glaring down at his useless chopsticks. "He's just always so..." _Distracting..._

"He attracts a lot of attention," Satsuki finishes. "But that never really interested you before. I mean, you used to get a lot of attention and you ignored it. Why does it matter now? Do you like him or something?"

Heat flares in Aomine's cheeks and he doesn't understand why. "What? No!" It sounds defensive even to him, but there's no way he has any feelings for Kise Ryouta. He has that annoyingly high whine of a voice sometimes and that stupid laugh and that gorgeous smile. He hates the way he pretends to flirt with everyone and acts like he's everyone's friend when he probably hates all their guts. "He's an idiot. Who the hell would like someone like him?"

"He plays basketball, you know," Satsuki adds with a twitch of her lips.

_Oh shit..._

~~~

As it turns out, Satsuki is right. Kise does play basketball. But Aomine only has the chance to get a glimpse of him on the court before he's ushered into the other gym to practice with the first string, the starters. Kise is new to the basketball team and he's practicing with the younger, less experienced members, until the coach decides where his skill set will be most beneficial to the team. Aomine curses the process of determining eligibility for the first string because one look at Kise in that offensive crouch, dribbling the ball at his side, and Aomine knows he's a real contender. He can see it in his eyes. 

Maybe it's his perpetual observation, knowing what makes Kise's eyes light up, knowing what makes them darken, that makes him able to see the glimmer of competitive drive that he knows is the mark of a real basketball player. He doesn't open his mouth to tell the coach, however, because he doesn't want to seem too eager. He doesn't want to coach to think he's actually taken an interest in someone enough to make him want to come to practice every day. 

But that's exactly what he does. Skipping practice becomes a thing of the past because each day that passes is one step closer to seeing Kise handle a ball on the court up close and personal. He asks Satsuki to observe him, knowing that her critical eye and analyst mind will be able to pick out what he's already seen at first glance. A suggestion from her will bring Kise up to the big leagues in a matter of seconds. It only takes one word from her for him to see Kise on his court the next day. 

Kise struts onto the court like it's a catwalk and Aomine has to fight off the urge to punch him in the face. As much as he wanted to see Kise here, practicing with the members of the team that he deserves to practice with, he knows their personalities are going to clash. Kise's ego might be bigger than his own and that's saying something. Aomine knows his ego is large enough to take him to the moon, but Kise's might be able to pull him from their universe and into another one entirely. He sees the way Kise eyes the other players, senses their potential and still assumes he's better.

_Smug little bastard._

"Oi, pretty boy," he calls out to him.

Kise glances up without hesitation and Aomine's lips twitch in amusement. Of course, he could have been talking to someone else, but Kise clearly assumes the term "pretty boy" encompassed him alone.

"How about you get your goddamn shoes on and show us what you're made of."

It's the first time he's ever spoken to Kise. It's the first time Kise has ever looked at him for more than a few seconds and it's the first time Aomine has seen a real smirk spread across his lips. Kise doesn't say anything at first, heading over to the bench to slip into a pair of gym shoes. As he walks back toward Aomine he rolls his shoulders and dips his neck from side to side. Aomine watches the way he moves, memorizing each twitch of muscle until Kise stops in front of him and extends a hand. 

"How about you give me a ball so I can show you what I'm made of."

Aomine grins and takes a few steps back to grab a ball out of the cart before kicking it out of the way. He turns and launches the ball at Kise who catches it with ease and slams it into a dribble at his side. 

"One-on-one," Aomine says, falling into a loose, defensive stance. "First to five wins. Then maybe, _maybe_ I'll think your pretty face deserves to be here."

Kise returns the grin with one of his own and Aomine has to take a deep breath to calm the erratic beating of his heart. 

Aomine sinks the first basket after slapping the ball out of Kise's grasp and ducking around his arm to lazily toss in a three as his body dips backward. He hears Kise curse under his breath before demanding the ball back. Kise doesn't let Aomine steal the ball as easily as he did the first time, but he still manages to lose another point when Aomine blocks his shot and flings the ball across the court singlehandedly. Kise gapes and Aomine can't stop the smug grin that spreads across his lips.

He makes two more shots and is about to gloat about his inevitable victory when Kise smashes the ball out of his grasp and imitates the one-handed shot Aomine had used earlier. He sinks the basket without even touching the hoop and lets out a deep, hearty chuckle when he sees Aomine's wide eyes and open mouth.

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."

Aomine's eyes land on the genuine smile he sees spreading across Kise's lips, the first one he's seen since Kise walked in those front doors, and he grins. "A few tricks won't save you now, pretty boy. I sink one more and you're finished."

And he did sink one more, but not after Kise earned himself two more points, almost closing the gap. 

"Again," Kise demands as he braces his hands above his knees, trying to catch my breath. "I wanna play again."

Aomine is about to agree when he catches a glimpse of their captain out of the corner of his eye. "Can't right now," He gestures toward the rest of the team with a nod of his head. "Looks like the real practice is about to start. But I guess I can entertain you later if you're not dead after we drill the hell outta you."

Kise chuckles and waves his hand. "Can't after. Got a photo shoot." Aomine's brow rises, but Kise ignores it and continues. "But I'll show up early tomorrow to kick your ass."

The laugh that leaves him is one he hasn't heard from himself in a while, and it startles him enough that he abruptly stop and waves his hand dismissively to save face. "Maybe in your dreams, pretty boy."

~~~

Aomine learns that Kise is a model, which explains why he's almost too pretty to be real. This fact becomes a source of irritation for him almost instantly because basketball takes a seat on the bench when a modeling job comes into play. Kise has more photo shoots in the month that passes than Aomine has Mai-chan photo books. And Aomine _a lot_ of Mai-chan photo books. 

He finds himself on edge every time he arrives at the gym only to find it void of the blond head and golden eyes he was hoping to see. It happens so often that Aomine starts passing by to glance inside before deciding if he's going to attend practice or not. He ditches the days Kise isn't there and shows up early on the days he is because Kise shows up early to play against Aomine and that's incentive enough for him to suffer through the entirety of the practice. It's worth it to see Kise's eyes burn with a flame he feels like only he can ignite. 

"He's got another stupid shoot today, doesn't he?" Aomine grumbles as he picks at the blades of grass at his side.

Satsuki lays in the grass beside him, a book propped against a bent leg. She had dragged him outside for lunch because the weather was finally nice enough to laze about on the quad and Aomine is alternately frustrated with her and grateful for this fact because sunshine does Kise Ryouta well. If Aomine thought his hair was shiny before, it was nothing compared to the way it glistens in the sun. It's so fair, it's almost translucent, like a real halo.

He grimaces at the thought because who the hell thinks that someone's hair looks like a halo? Certainly not him. Besides, he tells himself, Kise probably uses too much product and his stupid hair will fall out before he reaches middle age.

"Mmmm," Satsuki hums to herself, dipping her leg to the side to follow Aomine's line of sight to Kise. Kise who's sitting on a branch, kicking his legs, laughing, smiling, and surrounded by another group of girls all eager to have those stupidly pretty eyes turned on them. "I think he does. He hasn't given me his schedule for this week, but I remember him mentioning something about a photo shoot for some fragrance ad."

"Tch, gay," Aomine mutters, eyes narrowing as a girl reaches forward and brushes her hand up the side of Kise's calf. He feels his muscles tense and fights the urge to stomp over there and slap her hand away. It doesn't matter if they touch Kise. It's not like Kise belongs to anyone and certainly not to him. 

With a groan, he jerks his head back, hitting it hard against the trunk of the tree he's leaning against. He groans again and clutches the back of his head as Satsuki turns a reprimanding gaze on him. 

"Dai-chan, what is wrong with you? You knew the tree was there and––"

"Ah, shut up, will ya?" He rubs at the back of his head and looks up to find Kise watching him. His cheeks instantly burn and he's thankful for the way the sun has kissed his skin a darker shade because he's sure that Kise can't see it from across the quad. At least, he hopes Kise can't see it from across the quad.

Satsuki slams her book shut and pushes herself up. "Will you just admit that you like him?" She pointedly stares at him for a moment before her eyes dart toward Kise. 

Aomine scowls and shoves at her arm. "Will you not shout shit like that? I don't like him. Why the hell do I gotta admit something that isn't true?"

"I didn't shout it, baka," Satsuki grumbles, rubbing at her arm as though he's hurt her. She's done this since they were children and even though Aomine knows the look of pain is fabricated, meant to make him feel guilty when he knows he has nothing to feel guilty about, he still gives in every single time. 

With a sigh, he reaches forward and rubs at her arm with a grumbled apology.

Satisfied, she smiles and turns her attention back to Kise. "At least admit you're interested, Dai-chan." She holds up a finger to silence his inevitable protest before continuing. "There's nothing wrong with it. He's good-looking, smart, talented, athletic, and he's even on the rise to becoming super famous. There's nothing negative about him. All the girls love him, a lot of the guys do too. So it's not weird to say that you––"

"I _don't_ like him, Satsuki." Aomine doesn't like guys. He likes girls with pretty faces and big breasts. He likes girls shaped like Mai-chan, who can press up against him and whisper his name in their soft, sultry voices. He doesn't like stupidly pretty Kise whose eyelashes are too long for a guy, even though they frame his amber eyes perfectly; stupid Kise whose hair is too shiny, probably too soft; stupid Kise whose laugh is too much like music, it's gotta be fake, or illegal. That's it, he decides. Kise Ryouta has to be illegal. Aomine doesn't like illegal. Illegal takes too much effort. 

Satsuki stares at him and shrugs. "Whatever you say, Dai-chan." She starts to push herself to her feet, stretching her arms above her head with a tiny squeak. Before she turns to leave, she bends forward and says, "The minute you stop lying to yourself, I wanna be the first to know. Because I have a plan and you know my plans are the best." She taps the side of her head with a wink. "It starts with you admitting you like Ki-chan."

~~~

Aomine won't admit he likes Kise because he _doesn't_ like Kise. He can't possibly like someone he barely talks to, right? They make comments during their one-on-ones, usually jabs at one another's style, quips to cut down the other player as they push and shove at one another's egos until one comes out on top. That isn't conversation enough to fall for someone, no matter what Satsuki says. 

Kise isn't smart, Aomine thinks to himself. Satsuki had said Kise was smart, but Aomine disagrees. Kise is cunning at times. He knows how to manipulate people to get what he wants, but Aomine doesn't think he's smart. Kise lacks common sense. He thinks the best of people because people are always showing him their best to get on his good side and Aomine doesn't like that. People are fake, he wants to tell Kise, just as fake as you're being with them. If he had said it earlier then he might have saved his hand some pain. 

He walks out of school to wait for Satsuki at the gate when he finds Kise cornered against the fence by a guy who's taller than him, probably a little stronger than him, and he's right in Kise's face. Aomine can tell his isn't asking for an autograph. He sees the guy's fists clench at his sides and he takes another step forward, but Kise makes no move to defend himself. He's calm, lifting his shoulders in a shrug that claims he knows about as much about what's going on as Aomine does just observing. He smiles that sheepish grin that usually makes Aomine snicker whenever he sees it and the guy finally lifts his arm, rearing back to land a punch on Kise's pretty face.

Aomine is faster though. His fist connects with the guy's cheek, sending him flying backward. He ignores the way Kise's mouth drops open and stomps over toward the guy as he rubs at his cheek, eyes wide when he sees Aomine hovering over him.

"What the fuck do you think you were doing?" Aomine snaps, looming over the guy with a dangerous glare. 

"I was––he––" The guy shakes his head as he speaks, hand pressed tight over the welt that blossoms on his cheek. "My girlfriend won't stop talking about him. He's gonna steal her away and––"

"Is he?" Aomine glances over his shoulder and Kise lifts his hands up, holding them up in a gesture of surrender as he shakes his head. "Looks to me like he has no idea what you're talking about and no interest in your goddamn girlfriend."

"But she said––"

"Everyone says something," Aomine growls, bending forward until the guy starts to scramble backward. "Everyone wants what they can't have and he's someone no one here can have. So tell your girlfriend she's the one that needs to back the fuck up and get her head on straight."

He doesn't wait for a nod of the head for confirmation. Instead he turns around, grabs Kise's hand and drags him away. 

"Maaah! Aominecchi, wait!"

Aomine freezes. What did Kise just call him?

"Aominecchi, what was that?"

With a growl of frustration, he whips around and releases Kise's hand before his heart explodes. "What was _that_?" He snaps, incredulous. "What the hell were you doing just standing there? He was gonna punch you, idiot!"

Kise waves his hand in front of his face, dismissing the idea entirely. "They never actually punch me, Aominecchi." 

Aomine stares at him, dumbfounded. Yeah, Kise isn't smart, Aomine confirms. He's an idiot. "You haven't been here long enough then, because these guys here..." He nods in the general direction they just came from. "They punch people for less and he thought you were stealing his goddamn girl."

"But I don't even know who he's talking about."

"Of course you don't." Aomine rolls his eyes and sighs heavily. Far be it from Kise Ryouta to remember everyone's names. He's surprised Kise even bothered to remember his and thinks that maybe he might not remember it a week from now. "Is anyone worthy of the space in that thick head of yours?"

Kise shrugs and leans to the side, bumping Aomine's shoulder with his own. "I remember yours," He says with a smile. "Aominecchi."

"That's not my real name," Aomine reminds him, leaning away from the touch. Goosebumps travel across his skin and shiver races up his spine. Their skin hadn't even touched and already Aomine felt that electricity crackle between them that he only hears about from Satsuki after she finishes one of her stupid romance books.

"Nah," Kise shakes his head and takes a few steps back, lifting a hand to wave his goodbye. "But it's a nickname. I only do that with the people that mean something to me. Later, Aominecchi." 

As Kise darts out the front gate, Aomine slaps a hand over his chest. He doesn't understand the feeling, the warmth that spreads from his chest to the ends of every limb. It's not because he likes Kise Ryouta. No, he doesn't like him. But he doesn't mind him. He doesn't mind the smile, or the laugh. And he definitely doesn't mind the ridiculous nickname he's just been given because Kise only does that with people that mean something.

"Dai-chan, what are you smiling about?"

Aomine glances at Satsuki and shakes his head, taking a step toward the gate. "Nothing." He bites back another grin. "Let's go get some food."

~~~

Aomine has a lot of tension built up and he blames it all on Kise. He swears that idiotic blond is going to give him a heart attack one of these days, especially if he goes around thinking he's safe from a punch to the face simply because he's well-liked. Aomine's knuckles still throb at the thought. Or they might be throbbing because of the grip he's exerting on himself doing the only thing he knows will release all the tension that's built up within him.

His pants are around his ankles and he's propped himself up with a wall of pillows at his back. Mai-chan's latest photo book is spread out before him, open to the bathing suit section with her on the beach playing volleyball, bending over beach chairs, leaning against the beach umbrella or trying to catch her sunhat as it flies off her head. His eyes focus on the assets that never fail to capture his attention and his breathing hitches with every gasp the longer it goes on. 

He doesn't think about school. School is where Kise is. School is where he has to see that blinding smile, hear that contagious laugh. School is where he watches Kise run his fingers through his golden hair, letting it go at just the right angle so it falls across his face just right, framing his equally golden eyes. School is where he plays basketball in the gym, where Kise wipes the sweat from his brow with the hem of his shirt, giving Aomine a good, long look at the tight muscles in his lower stomach, at the sharp V-shape of his hipbones as they disappear into the top of his gym shorts. 

Aomine groans. 

School is where Kise calls him Aominecchi because he means something. 

_Aominecchi..._

"Fuck," Aomine's eyes snap open. He doesn't remember closing them. He doesn't remember when his thoughts turned from Mai-chan and her barely there bikini to Kise's stomach and his sweaty brow and his smile and his laugh. 

"No, no dammit." He leans forward and forces himself to focus on Mai-chan and the way her chest swells as she leans over the back of a beach chair, reaching for the volleyball that someone had hit just out of reach. He feels that familiar warmth settle into his lower stomach and he feels it spike when he closes his eyes and pictures golden eyes staring back at him whispering a nickname he didn't know he'd love, but he does. 

"Shit..." 

He tries to hold back and is successful until he lifts his head and stares out his window. The light is on in the room of the house directly across from him, the window open enough for him to get a good view inside just as Kise walks past in nothing but a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. Aomine's eyes widen and before he can stop himself, he's bowing forward, head pressed against the edge of his mattress as all the tension seeps from his body with a heady groan. 

Panting, he pulls his hand away and stares at the mess he's made with wide eyes. He reluctantly lifts his head again and chances another glance at the house next door. _There's no fucking way..._ Kise stops in front of the window and reaches up to close the blinds. He doesn't see Aomine, thankfully, and the view Aomine just had disappears as soon as the blinds cover the window. 

He curses and falls back against his bed, reaching for a tissue to wipe his hand and stomach clean. He grimaces as he tosses the soiled tissue across the room, landing it perfectly in the open trash can in the corner. He wants to set it on fire, to burn the proof that he just got off to the sight of another guy. And not just any other guy, no. He just got off to Kise Ryouta. 

He presses the base of his palms against his eyelids and groans. All of his excuses fly out the window, one by one, the longer he lays there and thinks about what he's just done. With a sigh of resignation, he reaches for his phone. 

"Oi, Satsuki," He grumbles into the speaker. "So about that plan..."

~~~~

Satsuki tells him he needs to woo Kise, but Aomine doesn't woo. He isn't even sure he knows what that means. So she tells him to talk to Kise, but that's easier said than done. Starting a conversation takes too much effort and maintaining one is even worse. He can banter with Kise during their one-on-ones, but a real conversation? He doesn't even know where to start. Besides, it's not like he has enough time with Kise to even try. 

Until he's paired with him for their pre-practice workouts.

When the coach tells them that they're going to spend more time stretching before practices to make sure they maintain their flexibility and ensure that they don't pull muscles before games, Aomine has his doubts. The thought of extra stretches makes him want to skip practice even more and his desire to leave only grows when he hears they'll be forced into pairs for their stretching exercises. Then his name is called alongside "Kise Ryouta" and he thinks that maybe extra stretches might not be such a bad thing.

He catches Satsuki's eye as she makes her way to the bench, clipboard in hand. She smiles and shrugs as if she doesn't know what's going on, but he knows better. A word from her would make the coach consider any extra training regime because he knows she's got a sharp eye for physicality. If she thinks the team needs extra stretching to remain in shape, then extra stretches are what they'll do. 

Kise is at his side now, giving him a once over. Aomine reaches out and shoves him. When he stumbles, he lets out an emasculating shriek and Aomine can't stop himself from laughing. He's reprimanded immediately by both Kise and the coach and they finally take their positions for the first stretch.

His legs are spread out in front of him as he reaches for his toes. Kise hovers at his back, hands braced against his shoulders as he pushes forward to urge Aomine's muscles to stretch further. Truth be told, Aomine can reach his toes without a problem. He's more flexible then he lets on. But if he pretends he can't, Kise pushes harder until his chest is flush against Aomine's back. 

He tries not to think about what he saw through his window; Kise in a towel, hair dripping wet, droplets trickling down his pale, taut skin. 

Aomine shakes his head and grumbles incoherently to himself, ignoring Kise when he asks what he's mumbling about. He doesn't need a repeat of the night before and he certainly doesn't need to be stretching that part of his body during practice. 

They come face to face when Aomine has his hands braced just below Kise's ankles to hold Kise down as he does the required amount of sit-ups. He thinks this might be a good time to start a conversation. 

"So," He tries to ignore the way his heart is trying to beat it's way out of his chest. "what the hell made you join basketball?"

Kise blinks at him when he comes up before dipping back down, and cocks his head to the side when he comes up again. "Eh?"

"Did I not speak japanese?" Aomine scowls at him. Sometimes he thinks Kise acts stupid on purpose.

"No, baka. That's not why––" Kise sighs as he lifts his upper body again. "The question kinda came outta no where."

Aomine's cheeks light up, but he hopes Kise thinks it's from the exertion from the stretching and not because of him. "I'm just curious."

It takes a few more sit-ups for Kise to finally speak. "I don't know, I guess it was my last option." He lifts his upper body one last time before reaching out and latching on to Aomine's arms. Aomine flinches, but doesn't pull away. "Have you ever just reached a point where everything is so easy, like too easy, to the point where it becomes boring?"

Aomine knows this feeling well. He remembers when he felt that way about basketball back in middle school, when everyone stopped trying, when he was nothing more than a monster on the court. Basketball lost it's appeal, but he kept playing, riding on the hope that someone would rekindle his love of his favorite sport. 

He nods.

Kise continues. "I get like that with every sport," He pauses and absently rubs his thumbs against Aomine's skin. "I kinda get like that with everything, really. I learn too fast, I guess." He shrugs and smiles, but this time Aomine isn't blinded by it. That's how he knows something is wrong. "When you can surpass everyone in a matter of days, no one wants to play against you anymore. Not seriously."

Aomine scoffs. "Yeah, fucking assholes don't even try."

Kise nods and dips his head forward, resting his forehead between his knees. When he speaks, it sounds like his voice it come from the bottom of a well. "But you didn't stop playing against me." Aomine thinks he might be hiding his face on purpose. "You kept beating me and you weren't scared of the way I picked things up so fast and––"

"What?" Aomine snorts and shakes his head as Kise finally glances up at him. "Why the hell would I be afraid of you? You're just some pretty boy blond who smells like some flowery shit that tries to chase me around the goddamn court." He lifts his hand and shakes Kise's arm off so he can ruffle that blond hair. It really is as soft as he thought it would be. "There's nothing scary about you."

Kise stares at him for a long moment, long enough that Aomine wonders if he's said the wrong thing. Then Kise smiles and this is the smile Aomine has grown to love. It makes him feel like he needs a pair of sunglasses, but he wouldn't bother putting them on. That smile is worth the blinding.

"Aominecchi?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think we could play some one-on-one after practice at the court behind our houses?"

Aomine freezes. "Behind _our_ houses?"

Kise's lips twitch. "Yeah, our houses. I know you live next door."

_Oh, fuck me._ "How long have you known?" Aomine prays he won't say last night. 

There's a long pause before Kise says exactly what Aomine didn't want to hear.

Aomine's head falls forward, pressing against Kise's bare knee. He feels the spark of electricity that burns between them, but he also thinks that might be because his face is red and hot with embarrassment. He hopes Kise doesn't know what he was doing beneath his windowsill.

"So? Can we?"

With a sigh of resignation, Aomine lifts his head and nods. "Yeah, one-on-one." He pauses and adds, "And dinner."

"And a movie," Kise finishes with a grin. 

"Only if it's not some stupid romantic comedy."

"A musical then."

Aomine grimaces. "I don't fucking watch musicals."

Kise grins. "You will with me."

Aomine opens his mouth to protest and stops himself before he can say anything. He's never been into musical before, but he's never had Kise at his side during one. He thinks that maybe he can suffer through one, if only to watch Kise's reactions. He's sure they'll make the movie much more enjoyable.

"Fine, we'll watch what you want to watch."

"And you can choose the movie next time."

_Next time._ Aomine can't stop the grin that spread across his lips.

He catches a glimpse of Satsuki, smirking off in the corner. With a shake of his head, he slaps Kise's arm and tells him to get off his ass. The real practice is about to start. And the sooner practice is over the sooner he can spend more time with Kise, just the two of them.

~~~

Aomine likes empty houses. An empty house means he gets to be alone with Kise. An empty house means he doesn't have to pretend to watch the movie when all he really wants to do is watch Kise's reactions instead. An empty house means he might just grow enough balls to grab Kise's hand, maybe even put an arm around his shoulders. 

The music from the movie plays in the background, but Aomine barely hears it. He listens to the way Kise gasps whenever something terrible or surprising happens. He finds he likes the little groans of disappointment when something unfavorable happens to his favorite character and the soft hums of contentment when he likes where the story is going. Aomine watches the way Kise's lips part with every sound. He watches the way Kise's nose scrunches at the parts of the movie that are a little more graphic than the rest and he realizes he really wants to reach out and touch the tip, just to tease him.

He's so engrossed in watching Kise that he doesn't realize when the movie ends. He notices the way Kise relaxes against the couch and dips to the side to brush their shoulders together. He thinks this might be an unconscious gesture, something Kise is doing to make himself more comfortable because there's no way Kise would intentionally lean against him like that. Right?

Aomine doesn't realize he's leaning forward, eager for the next gasp, the next soft sound to come from Kise's lips. But Kise speaks instead. 

"I know you're watching me."

Aomine jerks his head back and blinks rapidly, responding with a dull, "What?" He tries not to think about how stupid that response sounds. 

"Aominecchi," Kise turns to face him and Aomine draws a sharp breath of surprise. He remembers thinking that Kise is an idiot, but staring into those eyes now gives him a good reason to second guess his assumption. Kise's next words solidify that reason. "I know you've been watching me this whole time."

Aomine shifts in his seat. He considers denial, but thinks better of it. He knows, just by looking into Kise's eyes, that he's already been outed. "Alright, alright." He caves, lifting his hands in gesture of surrender. "I haven't been paying attention to the movie. I know I said I'd watch it, but you were too damn hilarious. I couldn't help myself, so––"

"I know you've been watching me since the day I first came to Touou, Aominecchi," Kise interrupts him and Aomine's eyes widen. "Every time I walked in the room I could feel your eyes on me." Kise's lips twitch as he runs his fingers through his hair in that goddamn distracting way that makes Aomine want to pin his arms against the couch. "I don't know how you didn't know I'd noticed. I mean... you were _really_ staring at me and––"

"Alright!" Aomine snaps, shaking his head. "Shut up already."

"But really," Kise continues, ignoring Aomines protest. "I wasn't all that subtle either. Are you really that dense, Aominecchi?"

Aomine grits his teeth. "I thought I told you to shut––"

"Did you think I was just looking past you or something?"

"Kise, I swear to god..."

Kise leans forward, breaching Aomine's personal space. "Didn't you know I was watching you too?"

Aomine can't take it anymore. Kise is inches away from him, practically in his lap. He's calling Aomine dense and repeatedly poking fun at his inability to observe the things that matter most, but Aomine doesn't care anymore. He's heard the words he wanted to hear since Kise walked into Touou on day one. He just didn't know he wanted to hear them back then. 

With a growl, Aomine grabs Kise's cheeks and pulls his face forward. Their lips meet in a crash of tongue and teeth and Kise whimpers, Aomine thinks more from pain than from pleasure. He relaxes his hold and pulls his head back enough so that their faces aren't uncomfortably smashed together and Kise decides to take the lead. He can't even count the seconds that pass before Kise really is in his lap, his knees tight around his hips and his arms draped over Aomine's shoulders. He dips his tongue into Aomine's mouth, slow and purposeful flicks that make Aomine's limbs weak.

He gasps when he pulls back and slips his arms around Kise's waist, not quite ready to end something he hasn't known he needed until now. Kise's hips are flush against his abdomen and he flexes his stomach muscles, hearing a soft groan of appreciation in response. Soon Kise's lips are pressed against his again, and Aomine thinks he might be getting better at this kissing thing with each stolen kiss. Kise melts against him, his body loose, relaxed. Their tongues play a game of one-on-one and this time Aomine lets Kise win because Kise is a little better at kissing than he is and he's already addicted to the way Kise's tongue caresses the roof of his mouth, the way it wraps around Aomine's like he can become a part of him. 

When Kise is the one to pull back, Aomine lets him. He grins when Kise presses their foreheads together and whispers, "And here I thought watching you was fun."

Kise snorts and shakes his head against Aomine's. "All this time..."

"Funny how shit works out, eh?"

"That's one way to put it."

Aomine chuckles and pulls Kise's head against his chest. He can hear the music from the movie menu and this time he really listens to it. _Phantom of the Opera, eh?_ He makes a mental note, remembering Kise's expressions and reminding himself that he wants to see them again. If he has to suffer through the film a second time, he will. As he threads his fingers through Kise's hair, listening to him breathe––a sound he's been wanting to hear for some time now––he thinks that maybe he should give Satsuki some credit. Her plans really do work well, after all.


End file.
